Passage of the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 by the House of Representatives is the most important step in the gun rights debate since the ratification of the 2nd Amendment in 1791. Rights guaranteed to all in the Constitution of the United States, are not discretionary across state lines.

As the elected Sheriff of Harford County with more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement and public safety, I believe it is the right of all law abiding citizens to own a firearm. I also believe those citizens should have the ability to wear and carry a handgun in the State of Maryland and across this Country for their personal protection.

Many Maryland politicians will tout the “success” of such efforts as the Firearms Safety Act of 2013 and are not shy to falsely espouse such efforts as “common sense” gun safety laws. It is telling that they stand by these claims even in the face of unprecedented levels of violence committed in our State by career criminals who have no interest in abiding by any rules imposed by our legislatures.

Since 2007, the number of concealed handgun permits across the nation has increased from 4.6 million to over 12.8 million; and during that same period murder rates have fallen from 5.6 killings per 100,000 people to 4.2, about a 25% decrease, according to the report from the Crime Prevention Research Center. In fact, forty-two states already recognize an individual’s right to carry a firearm absent a legitimate legal or health related reason as to why they should be restricted from the right to carry.

Law abiding citizens are choosing to protect themselves and their families, and there is no reason these citizens should be made into “criminals” for simply driving across a state line. Legislation at the Federal or State level that empowers criminals is not the answer. Passage of the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 is a step in the right direction for our Country and for the State of Maryland.

I applaud members of the House of Representatives for passing the measure and call on Maryland’s Senators, Cardin and Van Hollen, to support the measure in the Senate and restore our 2nd Amendment rights nationwide.

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“A Stanford Law School professor, John Donohue, and his team analyzed crime data from 1977 to 2014 and didn’t find evidence that areas where more Americans carry guns enjoy enhanced public safety or less crime. On the contrary, the researchers discovered that states that have enacted so-called right-to-carry (RTC) concealed handgun laws have experienced higher rates of violent crime than states that did not adopt those laws.”

Sheriff Gahler, with you all the way. Unfortunately, Little Ben and Little Chris won’t vote for this bill. They are career politicians walking the party line. They are nothing more than college debate team members who moved their careers to Congress. With the 2016 Presidential election reflecting a practically complete vote for Democrats in Maryland we have shown the rest of the country we are out of step and at this point essentially irrelevant on the national political scene, especially when it comes to the 2nd amendment. .

A pro-gun friend tells me that he does not like this idea. His belief is that by making this a Federal requirement, we run the risk, as adminisrations change, of the law being repealed in totality as quickly as it was enacted. He likes the idea of different rules because even though confusing, it is more difficult for the “feds” to make mass changes.

If Gahlers head gets any bigger they may need to expand the door frames at police headquarters on Main Street. Oh wait Nevermind he’s always in Annapolis lobbying and leaves Colonel Bodway to run HCSO.

Hold the phone. If he’s in Annapolis lobbying then he is derelict of his duties. He is the Harford County Sheriff and in no way is it in his job description to be lobbying in Annapolis while receiving a paycheck from the State or your County. At this point it could also be construed that he is lending the prestige of his office to others in pursuit of a political agenda or law change. His job is to enforce the laws of this state and your county, NOT being in Annapolis and trying to push new laws into legislation. He can also be accused of abusing his authority of using executive privileges of an authorized representative of the executive branch in conjunction with the introduction of law into the legislature. This is a clear violation of the separation of powers doctrines in both the US and Maryland Constitutions. If what you are saying is true, then Jeffy baby must be considered incompetent and untrustworthy to fulfill the position of your duly elected Sheriff…….Same could be considered of Aaron Penman, except his position as a Sergeant in your Sheriff’s Office is not considered a position of profit, yet it still is a conflict of interest having an employee of the executive branch taking part in legislature if he wins.

Hey Mr. Crusher, The Sheriff is part of the Judicial Branch of our Government and not the Executive Branch. You and your points are about as clear as mud. Typical keyboard warrior. Keep hiding and writing while workers like Gahler and Penman keep doing!!!

You have bumped your head. Police are part of the EXECUTIVE BRANCH of the government. The executive branch carries out and enforces laws. If you think that the police are part of the Judicial Branch then why are they carrying out and enforcing laws? The Judicial Branch decides arguments about the meaning of laws and how they are applied. https://www.usa.gov/branches-of-government

Now, you have touched a very serious issue I’ve never brought up. I’m glad you did. You see, the branches of the Maryland Government have been illegally incorporated. The Sheriff is a member of the executive branch. He carries out and enforces laws of the state. He is the highest EXECUTIVE and ADMINISTRATOR of the county he is elected to. He can arrest a Judge and if the prosecutors refuse to prosecute, he can arrest them for “Felony Rescue”. Your Sheriff is a member of the EXECUTIVE BRANCH and no perversion of the state constitution and law can ever change that. This is because of his duties and he is NOT answerable to the Judges or the Courts. Your Sheriff can even call for the Grand Jury. I’ve already told you guys that the Maryland Constitution is illegal and that Maryland has been in open rebellion of the Constitution since 1867. The website that you have posted is nothing but confirmation on how illegal the Maryland Government is because of the illegal incorporation of the branches of the Maryland government. You keep on believing the BS of the Maryland Manual, because what you are reading is nothing but complete proof that a mafiosa exists within the Maryland Government and that mafiosa has perverted the law of Maryland and has perverted justice over and over. The Judicial branch has NO AUTHORITY to carry out and enforce law. Please read what the true power of your Sheriff is and not the BS you are reading in the laws of this illegal state. https://www.nationallibertyalliance.org/countysheriff

You don’t seem to understand. There is no authority to carry out and enforce law granted to the Judicial Branch of the government. This is only granted to the Executive Branch of government. The Maryland Constitution specifically says the US Constitution is the Supreme Law of the Land. That being said, any grant of executive powers to a Judicial Branch of the government is unconstitutional. If it is unconstitutional it is illegal. I’m sorry, but you are not “MAGA”. If my belief in the US Constitution and my insistence that the Maryland Constitution is illegal makes me beyond reason, then “yes”, I am beyond all reason. I do NOT believe that the Constitution has been abrogated and I believe that the Code Enforcement Officers of this state are traitors to the US Constitution, the Maryland Constitution and the American people. If your Sheriff allows Code Enforcement over the Supreme Law of the Land then I would call him a traitor as well. Clearly, your Sheriff’s stance on 2nd Amendment issues is the one glimmering hope that he intends to be a Constitutional Officer and NOT a Code Enforcement Officer. However, he may not lobby for a law, yet he may endorse a proposed law. Quite frankly, Executive or Judicial Branches have no authority to legislate, so our little argument over whether or not a County Sheriff is of the Executive or Judicial branch of government is pointless to begin with when applied to the topic we are discussing. You can believe the Maryland Code. I’ll believe the Supreme Law of the Land……

One other little tidbit. The Maryland Manual website specifically calls our Judicial Branch the “Judicial Department”. A department is a compartment of a corporation, not a branch of government. Just another example of our government being incorporated and codified. Code is NOT law, it is rules and regulations. The common law of England and the US Constitution are the law of this land.

We all know how liberal the universities have become so this study by a law professor is suspect to say the least. Conclusions othet than what he allegedly achieved would be contrary to his agenda and therefore they are not relevant.

This is so sad. Yes I’m a Dem. but I support the 2nd amendment. But again it was written in a different time and culture. Other countries don’t have these mass shootings like we do. We’re putting ourselves and children at risk every time we make it easier to buy and own a gun. Even the majority of NRA members believe this. This doesn’t just happen in a church! This happens at movie theatre’s, concerts, where you work, schools, drive bys train stations, airports, fast food places, post offices. Please don’t start with trying to use churches for this legislation. You’re using the very people that SAY they’re Christian but love a gay/lesbian, or a woman with 5 kids on welfare, on and on.
People with guns will not help us if they can out shoot the police departments. We need people that leave their guns at the door, like the Wild West. Or people with NO GUNS allowed in the 1at place. Like so many other countries that don’t gave this problem.

The greatest deterrent of another country invading America is the fact that this country has millions of civilians armed with guns. Even if a foreign nation were to invade this country and win, they would never be able to hold it because of our citizens with guns. Go ask another country what the greatest concern would be in occupying America and they would tell you it’s the American citizens and ALL the guns they possess. God bless the American gun nut. They help keep us free from foreign invasion……

Sure – Joe Redneck armed with his shotgun is going to resist an advancing force with military weapons and fighter jets. The NRA really has you guys/gals brainwashed to think you’re going to be able to defend against another country’s Army

So how about your freedom to speak freely? How about your freedom to practice a religion of your choosing? I guess that’s just old words on old paper too – right? You are dead wrong – there are some basic human truths that are never outdated and the founding fathers absolutely got these right. The 2nd Amendment is not simply about protecting oneself and family, it is a broader protection of the national being. A well-armed militia – now known as nearly 100 million gun owners would make a formidable opponent for our own government to turn on its citizens and for any foreign intruder.

Your claims about gun ownership are a farce. Have. you bought a gun lately? How about at a gun show? If you would have, you’d realize that the problem we have is not background checks. We have Hippa laws that interfere with screening psychopaths from purchasing weapons. We have ridiculous questions about immigration status that a second grader could circumvent, and then worst of all, we have a defunct justice system who rotates violent criminals onto our streets every day.

You want to stop gun violence? Are you prepared to get a grip of the mentally disturbed in this country? Are you prepared to lock up and throw away the key on violent criminals? Are you ready to stop tolerating illegal immigration? These are your problems – not lawful gun owners. There are 300 million guns in private possession in this country and billions of rounds of ammunition. Only a minuscule fraction of individuals are illegally using them and they somehow rarely get their just punishment.

You make it sound like we live in a 3rd world country, or that we are ISIS. A well armed militia should be military, policing organizations. Yes I believe you and I both should be able to have a gun to protect our homes and family and hunting. I don’t plan on using them against my government.

” I don’t plan on using them against my government”. – You are aware that your government wants and will use guns on you. Let me explain something to you. Years ago, an officer would only draw his weapon if he was confronted with a threat. Now, an officer will immediately draw his gun to threaten a citizen. Do you remember that Anthony Graber case? The one about the undercover MSP drawing his weapon on a guy who was riding his motorcycle unsafely on I-95. He got indicted by the corrupt Harford County State’s Extortion Office and a led grand jury on felony wiretap charges because he recorded the event and posted it on YouTube. Why did that officer draw his weapon? If an officer is not in any danger, he shouldn’t draw his weapon. The problem is police are being trained NOT to respond to a threat, but to be the one doing the threatening. This is an issue. Our police are supposed to be public servants who serve you and I. They are not supposed to be threatening us at gun point because we committed traffic offenses or any crime that they can perceive no threat. That cop acted as a terrorist. He was in no physical danger. He drew his weapon and aimed it directly at Mr. Graber. Do you really think police are being trained properly in situations such as this? I don’t……

Thanks for the video Mike. Now, everyone can see the face of State terrorism. In this case, the terrorist is a clean cut white man who works for the State. What protection does the state offer its citizens from the acts of state terrorism that followed this incident? Did the Maryland State Police really have the power and authority to conduct a search warrant of this man’s home because of this video? Did the Harford County State’s Extortion Office really have the authority to even try and charge this man for FELONY wiretap charges? The answer is NO. Article 18 of the Maryland Declaration of Rights prohibits the making of any law that attaints a felony conviction to any citizen, after the date that our state constitution took effect in 1867. ALL laws made after 1867 that attaint a conviction of treason or felony ought not be made. Still think the state is a lawful entity?

Wrong – a 3rd world country’s government will not allow, and will confiscate all small arms. It is absolutely not allowed in 3rd world countries. Nor are citizens permitted to be armed in the socialist Mecca of Europe – rather they can only call police to come – typically to write an after incident report. Only Switzerland remains as an armed citizenry in Europe – and check out their immigration policy, judicial system and ….crime rate. We used to be the same in many regards, but our elected public servants have sold their souls to illegal immigration, special interests, the ACLU, NAACP, minority groups and a litany of others. So now more than ever, we the people must not allow further erosion of our rights. We must be able to protect ourselves, and YES, keep our own corrupt government in check. We all constitute an “armed militia.”

Here are some questions the Sheriff might want to think about:
1. How will his police force react to an active shooter situation when there are 15 people firing weapons? More importantly, how will they be able to identify the actual shooter?
2. How will they prosecute a situation where one parishioner mistakingly shoots another during an active shooting situation? Manslaughter or a Whoopsie? Is the church liable if one parishioner shoots another because they allowed weapons?
3. Will churches have to go through active shooter procedures like schools? Will churches have to train their parishioners on how to properly use their weapons? Most know that people don’t always react the way they think they would in this situation.

These are just a few serious questions to consider. Everything seems perfect when your reasoning is what happens in 80s movies. However, there is a real danger when the only answer to violence is violence. It’s even more disturbing when those words come from the mouth of a clergy member. We are really becoming a warped society.

Q1: How will his police force react to an active shooter situation when there are 15 people firing weapons? Q2:More importantly, how will they be able to identify the actual shooter?

A1: How have they reacted when there is one shooter? From what I’ve seen recently they usually react after the act is done.
A2: If all works out well the criminal will be the only one subdued or dead.

“Most know that people don’t always react the way they think they would in this situation.”
I think given the choice of losing a family member or themselves to the acts of a criminal, an armed individual would respond extraordinarily well.

My question to you is WHAT HAPPEN TO STATE’S RIGHTS which Republicans had always supported? Why did the House allow other states, with little or no regulations, to determine who may carry a concealed weapon in Maryland?

As far as the analogy that a gun license is “the same as a driver’s license” I would say the there are 243,500,000 vehicles in the US and each one is registered with the VIN number. There are 193,552,000 people 18+ drivers and each one of those drivers has had extensive driver education, passed an competency exam, a probation driving period and has mandatory insurance. I would want to have the same regulations for a gun (all guns, hand and long) for something much more lethal and that only has the purpose to kill.

I agree with you. Any man who got rid of the Terrorist Sean Marston, is OK in my book. Now if he could just weed out the other terrorists, he’ll become legendary. This includes ending his support for terrorists in or have been in his department that are now running for political office in the state legislature.

Good point to discuss. The are estimated to be 300,000,000 firearms in the US. Roughly 38,000 people died in 2016 as the result of a gun shot, but only about 11,000 of those were acts of violence committed by criminals. The vast majority are suicide which speaks to the issue of mental health more than gun violence. In comparison the 243,500,000 cars you reference result in around 40,000 deaths each year even with all the regulation and oversight you are so pleased with. You really think government regulation saves lives?

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” – There is NO POINT to discuss. ALL gun laws are illegal and unconstitutional. The state has the right to regulate it’s militia. That’s all. Nothing else. If you are not a member of the militia there is no provisions granted to the government to regulate you and the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. However, our government has infringed upon those rights and will shoot us dead if we don’t obey their illegal laws. All law that is not in conformity to the Constitution is NULL and VOID. That includes all victimless laws of gun ownership. FOR AN ACTIVITY TO BE CONSIDERED A CRIME THERE MUST BE A VICTIM AND THE STATE CAN NOT BE CONSIDERED THE VICTIM. However, if you use the gun to shoot a person a victim has been created. There is nothing complex about this. The government has illegally assumed our behavior and actions and that is the real crime you should be focused on. There is no provision in the Constitution that grants this power to the US or state government. It has ALL been illegally assumed by our government on all ends.